Blackbourne PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Blackbourne PCN is a primary care network of 4 GP practices with 41,228 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 1,894 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 4 practices in Blackbourne PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 71% at Woolpit Health Centre to 91% at Ixworth Surgery, with a median of 87% (England: 77%). 3 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Stanton Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (78%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ixworth Surgery | 9,712 | 91% | 74% | Good | 2,529 |
| Botesdale Health Centre | 10,200 | 88% | 61% | Good | 1,808 |
| Stanton Surgery | 5,074 | 86% | 78% | Good | 2,162 |
| Woolpit Health Centre | 16,242 | 71% | 42% | Good | 1,635 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 458 responses, against Norfolk and Suffolk and England.
| Survey question | Blackbourne PCN | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 82% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 59% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 69% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 62% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 86% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 79% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 74% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 92% | 90% |
There are 1,894 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Blackbourne PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. Practices recorded 719 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 42% of them face to face. 45% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
29% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists grew by 1.0% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Blackbourne PCN | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,894 | 2,133 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 719 | 578 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 42% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 45% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 29% | 25% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Blackbourne PCN is atrial fibrillation (3.4% against 2.2%), and the furthest below is palliative care (0.3% against 0.6%).
| Condition register | Age group | Blackbourne PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.9% | 15.2% | 8,069 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.2% | 14.3% | 4,780 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 9.0% | 6.6% | 3,494 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.6% | 7.9% | 2,949 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.5% | 4.6% | 2,187 |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.7% | 3.8% | 2,324 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.7% | 3.0% | 1,521 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.4% | 2.2% | 1,384 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% | 928 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% | 903 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.4% | 1.1% | 580 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% | 358 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% | 291 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% | 286 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% | 142 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% | 221 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 235 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 169 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% | 128 |
- Bury St Edmunds PCN (5 practices)
- East Suffolk PCN (10 practices)
- Forest Heath PCN (8 practices)
- Haverhill PCN (2 practices)
- South Rural PCN (5 practices)
- Sudbury and West Suffolk Rural PCN (4 practices)
Which practices are in Blackbourne PCN?
Botesdale Health Centre, Ixworth Surgery, Stanton Surgery and Woolpit Health Centre.
How do patients rate Blackbourne PCN?
82% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Blackbourne PCN cover?
41,228 registered patients across 4 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Blackbourne PCN have?
1,894 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.